Many of the ads about alcohol show people having fun, surrounded by friends, and give the message that drinking alcohol is super cool.

Many kids would see parents, adults and older young people drinking alcohol as a social thing. It is not surprising that some kids think that drinking alcohol is cool, makes them seem more grown up and is the 'thing to do'.

Some kids may think it is daring to try alcohol and others may feel that they want to be part of the group who are trying alcohol.

The Law in Australia says that children under 18 cannot buy alcohol, or be served with alcohol in a hotel, and they are not allowed to be given alcohol in any public place unless they are given the alcohol by their parent.

There are good reasons for this.

A young person's body cannot cope with the effects of alcohol and this may lead to him/her behaving in an unsafe way.

Also too much alcohol is a dangerous poison for children. Many very young children have had to go to hospital with alcohol poisoning after they have gone around the house after an adult's party, and 'finished' all the drinks that have been left where they can reach them.

If kids start drinking alcohol when they are young or when they are teenagers, they are more likely to drink too much alcohol when they are older.

A standard drink has 10 grams of alcohol in it. The size of a standard drink depends on what the drink is.

Spirits, like whisky or vodka, have a lot of alcohol in a small amount so a standard drink is a small amount, about 30 ml.

Wine has about 10 grams of alcohol in 100 ml.

A light beer has about 10 grams of alcohol in 425ml.

Cans and bottles of alcoholic drinks have different amounts of alcohol, depending on the amount of liquid.

The number of standard drinks in a can or bottle is written on the label.

When people have too much alcohol they get sick (and many of them vomit), they are not in full control of their minds and bodies, and they are not able to think clearly or to make good choices (especially about whether it is safe for them to drive).

Some people who have had too much to drink become angry and they can hurt other people, including people in their family.

Some people make very bad choices when they have too much to drink. Some feel really bad when they see photos or movies of themselves posted on Internet sites posted by their 'friends' or even by themselves.

"If someone close to you is drinking too much alcohol and making you feel unsafe, then talk to one of your trusted adults about it. Remember that your trusted adults may include mum, dad, grandparents, friends of the family, your teacher or student counsellor.

You have the right to feel safe at all times. Help to keep yourself safe by saying no to alcohol yourself and telling people how you feel when others are behaving in a frightening way because of alcohol use."

If you are worried you can ring the Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800

Alcohol's not really cool,It can make you look a fool.Alcohol can change your life,Breaking up a man and wife.Children hurt or even homeless,Alcohol can make life hopeless.When you grow upYou can chooseTo stay drug-freeAnd away from 'booze'.(BH)

Answer: If you guessed that TOBACCO causes the most deaths then you would be right.

We've provided this information to help you to understand important things about staying healthy and happy. However, if you feel sick or unhappy, it is important to tell your mum or dad, a teacher or another grown-up.